The Night Before Christmas and Grandma Isn't Happy
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary: Neal discovers that there really is a Santa.  Warning: The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.
1. Chapter 1

**The Night Before Christmas and Grandma Isn't Happy**

By Peppe1951

**Summary:** Neal discovers that there really is a Santa. **Warning:** The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. **Disclaimer**: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

It was December 23rd when Neal walked into the chaos at the Burke's

house; otherwise called getting ready for company. He brought a poinsettia for El but beside from a warm smile of thanks and a point to the front room as a place where he could put the plant he received no verbal response. He hastily found a perfect place for the Christmas plant and sat down to wait.

El was in the process of arranging hotel reservations for Peter's brother Tom and their sister Sally and their families. Neal was confused; in the past they all went to celebrate Christmas with Peter's folks and although he knew that they had only just recently lost his father Neal assumed that the family tradition of celebrating with Peter's mom at her house would still happen.

"Neal," it was Peter who walked through and spotted his friend.

"Peter…what's going on?" he asked as he motioned to El on the phone.

"Oh, this year we are going to meet here from Christmas," he explained as picked up the just delivered food items El had ordered earlier. "Grab that other box Neal," he added as he picked one up and hurried to the

kitchen.

Neal followed a moment later with the other box. "I thought you always celebrated at the family home?" Neal said as he put the box down.

"We usually do, but since Mom has decided to move close by she has already sold the house and has it packed up; so there is no room for us to celebrate there and since her new house won't be available until after Christmas she has requested that we meet here to celebrate

Christmas."

"So this house is going to be full of family," remarked Neal as he looked thoughtfully around. "Peter's family won't want an ex-con like me to celebrate with; they will want only family here for Christmas," Neal thought falsely. He didn't realize that he was considered part of that family.

"I'm going to leave now; you've got stuff to get done and I'll only be in the way," Neal said as he started for the door.

"Wait a minute; Mom told me to tell you that she is expecting to see you Christmas Eve and for you to stay the night so we can all open presents together early on Christmas morning," Peter said as he looked Neal in the face.

"He's just relaying Cookie's wishes; he doesn't really mean for me to do it," Neal thought since Peter hadn't told him that he wanted it, too.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you June has already invited me to celebrate Christmas with her this year. I can come by Christmas morning to open presents but I already promised June that I would be there for her Christmas Eve party and eat Dinner with her on Christmas Day….please give my regrets to your Mom," Neal lied before leaving. June had already left to spend Christmas with her son as she has done for the last few years. He just didn't want to be a bother or an embarrassment for Peter with his family.

Christmas Eve arrived with Carolyn and a multitude of presents. Peter happily gave the cabbie a large tip for getting his mother here safely and for helping her with all of her luggage and presents. The first thing Cookie did was to give her son and daughter-in-law hug and kiss and then to ask, "Where is my grandson? Didn't you give him my message Peter?"

"Yes ma'am, but he had already promised his landlady and surrogate mother, June that he would attend her Christmas Eve party and Christmas dinner. He did say that he would stop by Christmas Day to open presents," Peter told his mother regretfully.

Peter could see that his mother was upset not to see Neal and added,

"Tom and Sally should be arriving soon. You will have grandchildren talking up your time very soon. Why don't you and El have a cup of tea while I get your luggage to your room; rest now before you are over-run with kids."

Carolyn smiled and followed El into the kitchen for that promised cup of tea and left Peter to get her stuff to the guest room and the presents under the tree.

The day had gone as Peter had hinted to earlier for when her children and their families had arrived about thirty minutes later Carolyn was soon laughing and enjoying her time with her grandchildren even though she had hoped that Neal could have been there as well, but it wasn't until much later that the real truth of why he wasn't there came to light.

The family had just returned from Christmas Eve service at the Catholic Church and just settled down to party until it was time for the young ones to go to bed when the phone rang and El hurried to answer it.

Peter could tell from his wife's facial expression that something was wrong and hurried to her side. "What's wrong?" he whispered into her ear.

"It's June and she wants to talk to Neal," El whispered back.

Peter motioned for her to hand him the phone and asked June, "By any

chance did Neal tell you that he would be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us?"

"Yes, he did…why?"

"He told us that he had promised you to attend your Christmas Eve party and to have dinner with you Christmas Day," Peter informed her.

"Peter I have been gone all week and only called now to tell him that I wouldn't be coming back until closer to New Year's. Peter I can't bear the thought of him spending any more time by himself in that big house. I even let my servants leave for the holidays."

"Don't worry as soon as I get off the phone with you I'm going to go and get him and bring him back him with me so he can spend the holidays with his family…of course once I get finished with him he won't have to worry about staying warm tonight," Peter assured the worried lady before wishing her a Merry Christmas and hanging up.

"El," Peter whispered loudly, "I'm going to bring Neal home for the holidays…could you get his room ready for him?"

El just smiled at him as she headed downstairs to the basement room Neal considered to be his. It was when Peter pulled his coat from the upstairs closet that Carolyn spoke up,

"Where are you going son?"

"I'm just going after a wayward grandson and bringing him home," Peter replied grimly.

"Wait a minute and I'll go with you; you can tell me what he has done this time," she said as she grabbed her coat and accompanied her son to the door.

Peter didn't even try to talk her out of it realizing that she might be needed to get Neal to obey and soon they were driving off to get Neal.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Neal was sitting by himself and so lonesome that he felt tears roll down his face. He had been counting on Mozzie to be here to keep him company when he decided to be noble and lie to Peter and June about where he was going to be this Christmas holiday. He didn't think that Peter's family would welcome him into their family since he was an ex-con so instead of finding out he had lied to the very people who meant the most to him. It was then that he heard a knock at his door.

"I thought you weren't going to be here…oh, hi Peter," and then with a lump in his throat he added, "Cookie...what are you two doing out in this cold weather?"

"We have come to bring my stubborn grandson back home to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with his family," replied Carolyn as she walked into his apartment.

Neal opened his mouth to try and explain when Peter said, "You are in enough trouble as it is buddy, I wouldn't try saying anything that might make it worse," and Neal closed his mouth and watched as his 'grandmother' looked around.

"Neal this would be a good time for you to pack a bag or two…you will be staying with us until June returns," advised Peter pointedly.

"There's really no need; she will be back the day after Christmas," began Neal as he started to pull enough clothiers for only a day or two.

"June called to say that she would be staying until the end of the month and that her staff wouldn't be back until she did," Peter added. "Imagine our surprise and hers when she found out that you weren't staying at our house…I think she may request that Santa bring you a bag of switches for Christmas so she can used them on your backside when she returns. Haven't you learned by now that we do not like to be lied to and whenever you do so your backside pays the price?"

"Neal," Carolyn said gently as she took him by the hand and lead him back to his bed. She sat and pulled him down beside her. "Why did you lie to us?"

"Cookie your family doesn't want an ex-con as part of their family," Neal blurted out as a tear ran down his face.

"How do you know this Neal?" asked Peter.

"I don't but why would they?"

"Because they have been hearing about you from the moment you came into our lives and they know how Mom and I feel about you. They have no difficulties about what you were before and know, except for the occasional lying, that you are trying to change your life around. Neal on the whole you are a good person…you have got to stop putting yourself down," Carolyn said as she pulled him into a hug.

As soon as he felt Carolyn's arms around him Neal broke down and cried. He had never had a family to love and care so much for him as Peter's and it humbled him to be so included in that family. Once he got his tears back under control he looked at the woman who had lovingly offered herself to be his grandmother and asked in a small

voice, "Are you going to spank me?"

Carolyn looked at this young man crying so much to be included in a family and said gently, "No, I'm going to leave that up to Santa."

"Santa? Santa Claus is going to spank me?"

"No…but he's going to be the one to decide whether you are going to be spanked for your lies and I must warn you that lying to your family and friends on the eve of his journey is high on his no-no list."

Neal gave her a look of disbelief and got up to complete his packing for the next week's stay at the Burkes counting his lucky stars that he didn't have to experience Carolyn's hairbrush that night and vowing to curb his lying to only necessities and never to family or friends again.

Peter and his mom exchanged a look and hurried to help Neal get all he needed for the stay and soon they were on their way home.

El was serving hot bowls of chili when they walked in and soon after introductions had been made they were are laughing, telling stories and enjoying not only each other's company but El's delicious chili.

This was kept up until it was time for the grandchildren to be sent off to bed to await Santa's visit. Neal was in the midst of listening to a story that Tom was telling about Peter when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Cookie glaring at him.

"Neal, son maybe you didn't understand me when I said that it is time for the grandchildren to go to bed now?"

"No ma'am, I heard and watched the kids scurried off," he replied not understanding the significance of the word "grandchildren".

"Then why are you still here?"

Understanding flooded Neal's features as he realized that in her eyes he was one of her grandchildren as well. "Cookie, you don't mean me; I'm not a child."

"Aren't you…you surely do act like one at times," replied Cookie with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I second that…and if you knew what was good for you Neal you would be heading to your bed as well…you don't want Santa any madder at you then he is already, do you?" hinting at the conversation that was held in his apartment a few hours earlier.

Neal looked around the room expecting to find teasing faces but was floored when he saw that all of the adults in the room to have serious expressions on their faces. "You all still believe in Santa?" Neal asked with disbelief.

"YES!" they shouted back, "and you had better be in bed or he won't come and visit," Carolyn added.

Neal reluctantly got up and left, having a hard time believing what he had just heard but not wanting to make Cookie angry at him. As soon as he got into bed he was surprised to realize that he was tired than he thought and drifted off to sleep at once.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Neal was sleeping soundly when a sound woke him and he saw a shadow in his room and called out groggily, "Peter?"

"No, I'm not Peter, son," and suddenly the light next on his bedside table came on and Neal saw a fat man dressed in red…Santa Claus.

"Oh, come on Peter…this isn't funny," Neal said as he sprung from his bed and reached for Santa's beard and gave it a mighty tug expecting it to come off in his hand. He didn't know what surprised him the most… the fact that the beard didn't come off or the cry of pain at having Santa's whiskers yanked on.

"Son, that isn't the smartest thing you can do to someone who has the final decision on whether you will be sitting on a sore bottom for Christmas Day."

"What!" that got Neal's attention right away.

"It is really your own fault with all of your lying these last few days…don't you know you have to be on your best behavior the closer you come to Christmas not the opposite. It is my decision on whether I give you presents or a bundle of switches."

"How did you know that I l-lied?" stammered Neal.

"I'm Santa…I know about everything kids do, or kids still residing in the bodies of adults, like you. Now I understand why you lied…you didn't think that they wanted you…and you didn't want to be an embarrassment to Peter, El or Cookie. But son they are your family and as long as they invited you to be a part of their family you will not be an embarrassment to them…no matter what you have done or have done in the past…family cares for family. Am I getting through to you?"

"Yes, I understand now…but this is all new for me. My dad died when I was two and my mother died when I was ten…too tired to care for me or to even care. I've been on my own for such a long time and until Mozzie found me in my late teens I haven't really known a loving family," explained Neal.

"I know son; I've been looking for a family for you for such a long time and when Peter came into your life I knew with a little nourishing and pushing on my part through his wife El a family for you have been located and what do you do…you lie to them and to June, your surrogate mother," scolded Santa.

"I'm sorry Santa. Are you going to leave a bundle of switches for me this Christmas?"

"I don't leave switches anymore," replied Santa as Neal gave a sigh of relief. "I've discovered that paddles work so much better and can be used over and over again," he added as Neal groaned; "although Cookie's hairbrush works quite nicely to get across to you why you shouldn't disobey her."

"I- I learned that the h-hard way when I was s-sick," stuttered Neal as he remembered that week when he was stuck at the Burkes recuperating.

"She only did that because she cares, son. If she didn't care you wouldn't have suffered through her spankings…or Peter's either for that matter."

"But did they have to care so much," cried Neal, "after Peter finished it was two days before I could sit comfortable again," groused Neal.

"NEAL!"

"Alright…it wasn't that bad…it only hurt for the remainder of the day,

Neal quickly corrected as he yawned.

"I think you need to back in bed and sleep…you are going to have a full day tomorrow…goodnight son," Santa said as he watched Neal drift back off to sleep before he turned off the light and left.

"Neal…wake up dear…its Christmas and time to open your presents," Carolyn said as she shook her newest grandson awake.

Neal opened his eyes and saw the smiling face of his grandmother and suddenly remembered Santa's visit. "Cookie…I dreamed that he was here…last night in my room," he said urgently.

"Who dear?"

"Santa…and he doesn't do switches anymore," he added as he remembered part of the conversation.

"And what does he use now, Neal?"

"Paddles."

"Well, you can tell me more after we open our presents…Neal you have to hurry. We are having trouble keeping the children away from the presents."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Neal said as he hurriedly got up and put his robe and slippers on and followed Cookie up the stairs and to the excitement around the tree.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As Neal walked in the room seemed to explode with excitement as gifts were handed out and all that could be heard for a few minutes was the tearing of paper and the opening of gifts. Then the room was filled with a multitude of 'thank you's" and then the process started over again until the presents had been opened.

Neal's presents to the adults were drawings and paintings of his own…no copies of famous paintings but some his own…many of them were outside scenes but a few included portraits of their children that he had done with the help of photographs. The children's gifts were from a list of what they wanted supplied by El or Peter. He wasn't expecting anything from Peter's brother and sister and was floored when they came through with thoughtful gifts of their own. He received tasteful ties and even another fedora that caused him to smile and offer his thanks for their great taste.

Carolyn gave Neal a cookbook; the type where you add your favorites to the blank pages and the first recipe in the book were her cookie recipe. "Now Peter and El tell me that you are an accomplished chef and now you have a book to put your recipes in," she told him as he gave her a hug of thanks.

Peter and El gave him art supplies of all types and something in the watercolor line. "You've never done anything in this medium Neal," El murmured and I thought you might want to give it a try."

"Cookie?" It was Susie, Sally's youngest.

"Yes, dear?"

"There's another package behind the tree," the little girl informed her grandmother.

"Can you get it for me dear?" Carolyn asked the small child who scurried to do just that. When she returned she was pulling a long package behind her.

"It's kind of heavy Cookie," she said as Peter took it from her and handed it to his mother.

Carolyn looked at the tag and then turned to Neal and said as she handed to him, "It's addressed to you Neal," and then added in a whisper, "It's from Santa."

Neal's eyes widened at the announcement and looked thoughtfully at the package and then at everyone is the room. He was afraid to open it where everyone would see. Carolyn picked up on it at once and said,

"Kids why don't you put your presents down and go into the kitchen and get your breakfast…we will be in momentarily," she added as she looked pointedly at their parents who took the hint and ushered their children out so that the four could have some privacy.

"Go ahead dear and open your present," Carolyn said gently.

With nervous hands Neal opened the box to reveal a paddle that stated that it belonged to Neal. "Neal's Paddle" was painted on the front in a flowing script; and under that were the words "to be applied liberally to the backside whenever needed."

Neal blushed as he read the words and handed it to Peter stating angrily, "Very funny Peter!"

"I didn't do this Neal," Peter said at once as he handed the paddle to his wife who handed it to Carolyn. "We didn't do this Neal, "they all stated in turn.

"Well, if you didn't do it...who did?"

"I can only think of one," remarked Carolyn as she looked at Neal. "You told me this morning that he doesn't do switches any longer and has switched to paddles."

"But that was a dream…it wasn't r-real," stammered Neal.

"Are you sure Neal?" asked El who took a note out of the box and read out loud.

"Neal there is an identical paddle waiting at Cookie's house to be used instead of her hairbrush. These paddles cannot be destroyed by hammers or hidden that they won't be found and when used will leave a mighty sting that will leave the applicant squirming for days. On the back of each paddle is the number of licks to be given for each offense;

be careful not to do the same offense twice…you won't like the consequence," and it was signed Santa Claus.

Carolyn turned the paddle over to discover the list of offenses and the

licks listed for each offense. The first offense was lying to family and the number of licks listed for that offense was twelve but if the offense was repeated the licks were given on a bare bottom; in fact that was the same sentence for each repeat offense…the paddling was to be delivered on the bare backside.

"Neal you had better watch yourself from now on for the licks range from twelve licks to four but for every repeat offense the sentence will be applied to your bare backside…and judging that the highest number of licks is for lying to your family Santa considers it the worse offense," explained Carolyn seriously.

Neal paled at that and asked, "Are you going to use that on me?"

"I think we can show you some Christmas mercy this time but if you ever get it in your head to lie to us for any reason I will consider it a

repeat offense and give you a bare bottom paddling that will have you squirming for days," Carolyn said sternly, "now let's get in there before the children eat everything."

"I'll join you as soon as I put this out of the way," Neal said as he grabbed the paddle and note and headed down to his room.

Neal was about to put the paddle on the bed when his eye caught sight of a hammer that had been left out earlier in the day. "I can't believe that they still believe in Santa Claus or that this paddle can't be destroyed by a hammer…I'll show them. When I destroy the paddle it will show them that Santa is just a myth too," Neal thought as he grabbed the hammer and swung it down on the paddle only to have it bounce off with no apparent damage to the paddle.

Neal looked dumbfounded at the paddle while in the corner of his eye a familiar figure appeared and he suddenly found himself bottomless and bent over his bed having his backside paddled. "NOOOOOO! I'm sorryyyyyy…I believeeeeee," he howled as he found himself being paddled by Santa himself…

"Merry Christmas!"

The End


End file.
